FIZZLING IN FINALE

As starters rest, Bolts struggle in last tuneup before start of season

Philip Rivers walked up and down the sideline, wearing an earpiece and eating sunflower seeds from a small green cup. Eric Weddle and Dwight Freeney chatted between plays. Derek Cox played a quick game of catch with an injured teammate.

The Chargers will need their starters someday.

Thursday was not it.

San Diego, a team that can’t afford to lose any starters, rested them all in the fourth and final exhibition game. The 49ers took the opposite approach, as quarterback Colin Kaepernick picked apart the backups at the start of a 41-6 Chargers loss.

Coach Mike McCoy can’t like some of what he saw Thursday night.

He can’t like seeing rookie corner Marcus Cromartie get shook and cooked on a short Kaepernick pass to Quinton Patton that became a 43-yard touchdown. He can’t like seeing the depth on this offensive line, as somewhere in quarterback Charlie Whitehurst’s home, buried deep in a wooden drawer full of cobwebs, there is a broken watch that can provide him better time.

McCoy can’t like seeing another wide receiver exit the game for medical attention.

It wasn’t Danario Alexander or Malcom Floyd or Eddie Royal. Robert Meachem took a hit early in the third quarter after making his fourth catch. He walked slowly off the field and, after a stop to the bench, was escorted into the locker room with a concussion.

Might that be how his San Diego tenure ends?

The Chargers have 75 players on their roster. By 3 p.m. Saturday, there must be 53.

The coaching staff and some in the player personnel department will meet this morning after evaluating this last piece of game tape, deciding who stays and who goes. There is no shortage of new tape on their reserves.

Three of the five offensive line backups played most of the night.

Rich Ohrnberger started at center and moved to left guard, that versatility making him a likely presence on the Saturday roster. Michael Harris worked at right and then left tackle. He is expected to be the swing tackle. Steve Schilling manned the right guard spot, vying to be the third reserve.

Tight end John Phillips was the closest the Chargers got to letting a starter play. But late in the third quarter, the most valuable player they had on the field gave them an injury scare.

Punter Mike Scifres was blocked for the second time this preseason. Like the time in Chicago, a defender made the play after beating safety Jahleel Addae.

Scifres’ right (kicking) leg was evaluated on the sideline. He took practice reps into a net, wincing in pain.

In the fourth quarter, the Chargers’ offense had fourth-and-6 on the San Francisco 44-yard line. They chose to go for a first down rather than send out Scifres. He later re-entered the game, punting a 54-yarder.